Orange City Council will be installing bin baskets across key locations to divert bottles and cans from landfill.
Council has joined the NSW Government's Return and Earn bin baskets program, which is helping keep bottles and cans out of landfill and into the hands of eager recyclers.
Environmental Sustainability Policy Committee Chair Cr David Mallard said the baskets would be attached to existing bins located at 50 sites across the city.
"The idea is that when you are out instead of placing an eligible bottle or a can in the bin you can place it in the basket and then it's available for someone else to collect," Cr Mallard said.
"We already know there are some dedicated citizen recyclers who visit bins around the city and this just provides a new opportunity to help improve our recycling outcomes."
The Return and Earn bin baskets encourage community members when out and about to leave their empty eligible containers in the baskets for someone else to collect. Anyone passing by, including charities or community groups, can collect the drink containers to take to their nearest return point for the 10c refund.
The scheme is already operating at 31 NSW councils.
The bin baskets are proving very effective at reducing landfill. Initial data from participating councils after installation shows an average of 69 per cent reduction in drink containers going into public place bins, and ultimately landfill.
The sites in Orange are a mix of busy pedestrian areas in the CBD, key parks and recreation areas, including the barbecues at Lake Canobolas and Gosling Creek.
A map showing the 50 basket locations across Orange can be found here.
